Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | William Gorman |
| Agency | Peoria Fire Department |
| Rank | Captain |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | 56 to 60 |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 5/7/1891 |
| Date of Death | 3/27/1949 |
| Cause of Death | Stress/Overexertion |
| Nature of Death | Heart attack |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Post-incident |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Peoria |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 3/27/1949 13:0 |
| Incident Location | Public assembly |
| Incident Attribute | Fires |
Incident Summary
On March 27, 1949, Captain William Gorman, 58, collapsed and died while fighting a fire at the Charlton Club Tavern in Peoria. Gorman was a 28-year veteran of the Peoria Fire Department.
At 1:00 p.m., Sunday, March 27, 1949, Box Alarm 114 sounded a alarm to signal a fire at the Charlton Club Tavern at 1303 Second Avenue. Engine Co. 8, with Gorman in command, was the first fire apparatus to arrive on the scene. While helping extinguish the fire, Captain Gorman collapsed to the ground at 1:08 p.m., only eight minutes into the ordeal. The Inhalator Squad was summoned from the Central Fire Station, but Gorman died en route to St. Francis Hospital. An autopsy confirmed that he had suffered a heart attack.
Gorman was survived by his wife, Catherine, his daughter, Rosemary Dunne, and his two sons, Ralph Anthony and Richard Edward, all of Peoria. Funeral services were held at on Wednesday, March 30, 1949, at St. Patrick’s Church. An honor guard, consisting of Peoria Fire Department members, slowly led the procession, which included Engine 8 bearing the fallen leader, to St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Summary by Marty Baker and Doug Brignall, Peoria Fire Department
Firefighter and Incident Images
